Journal of Agriculture. [8 Feb., 1907. 



disease beyond these three farms ; but, considering the laxity displayed by 

 the Shire in allowing cattle to wander on the adjoining roads, the restric- 

 tion of the disease to these areas would appear to have behind it a strong 

 element of luck. 



Mammitis is a disease in connexion with which altogether too much risk 

 is taken by owners here, notwithstanding the pointed information and 

 emphatic warnings on this matter that have been recently published in the 

 Jotirnal of Agriculture under " Diseases of Farm Animals." Special 

 mention is there made of the chances of loss which stock owners run 

 through neglect of ordinary precautions in connexion with this and other 

 diseases, yet very' few farms have any provision for the keeping of affected 

 or injured animals by themselves, or milking them separately. Even com- 

 mon humanitv alone should be sufficient inducement to provide such accom- 

 modation, for any suffering animal is alwavs horned about by the stronger 

 and healthier members of the herd, and its recoverv is thereby so much 

 longer retarded. 



GARDEN NOTES. 



y. Croiiin, Inspector Vegetation Diseases Acts. 



The Canna. 



Canna, the Indian Shot plant, is a family of herbaceous perennials, 

 found native in Brazil and other parts of South America, and in Eastern 

 Asia. vSome of the species have been cultivated in English and European 

 gardens as stove plants for a considerable time, C Indica and orienialis 

 flowering in England in 1570. About 1820 a number of species was 

 introduced from Brazil and other countries of South America, but for some 

 time little progress was made towards improving the canna as a florist's 

 flower. Some of the species were stately foliage plants, but the flowers 

 were small. Of late, florists, in France and Italy especially, have paid 

 special attention to the canna, and have effected a marvellous change 

 in the size and colour of the flowers. The hybrid varieties now produce 

 spikes or bunches of beautiful flowers, a most decided contrast to the 

 insignificant inflorescence of most of the species. The foliage in many 

 kinds is large, and varying in colour from purplish red to bright green. 

 There are, among the later introductions, two types, known as the "orchid- 

 fiowering " and the "gladioli-flowering" Cannas, that surpass, and are 

 generally grown to the exclusion of other garden forms. The orchid- 

 flowering varieties are taller in growth, and produce larger individual 

 blooms than the gladioliflora type, but are more tender and easily affected 

 by hot winds. They are specially suitable for pot culture, for green- 

 house or verandah decoration. Some of the finest varieties bear highly 

 coloured foliage, and are conspicuous plants in the garden, and worth 

 cultivating for that alone. The gladioli-flowering type is of a much 

 dwarfer habit of growth, and generallv hardier. The flowers are more 

 freely produced, and though smaller individually, are borne in larger 



